Band of the Day: VISTA

Comprised of fierce frontwoman Hope Vista and guitarist Greg Almeida, VISTA combines arena influences to create and define their anthem rock sound. Their upcoming EP Long Live lyrically focuses mainly on forming an allegiance and finding an ‘oasis’ among a dystopian society. Hope is actually one of the PR people we’re lucky enough to deal with regularly. Surprisingly (or not), quite a number of our contacts are in bands as well as help promote other ones!

Simple things first – where are you guys from?

Hope: Born and raised in Jersey! Currently living on Long Island.

Greg: Iiiiiiiin West Philadelphia, born and raised – just kidding. I grew up on Long Island, and I’m still here.

How did you meet?

Hope: We had mutual friends and Greg heard I was looking for a new guitarist for VISTA, so he messaged me asking about it. Super simple!

Greg: Yeah, to be honest, it was all Facebook. I saw her posting about looking for a guitarist, I was trying to be part of a serious project. It all worked out.

How long have you been playing as a band?

Hope: VISTA has been a band for almost two years, Greg joined last September, so almost a year.

Greg: It’s been about a year, and a great one at that!

Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?

Hope: ‘Vista’ is my middle name!

What are your influences?

Greg: I like a lot of different stuff, from The Fall of Troy, to Paramore, to Owl City, to Carly Rae Jepsen, to Childish Gambino. It’s nuts.

Hope: I’m inspired and influenced by life experiences, whether it be something happening in my personal life or current events!

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

Greg: I think a lot of alt rock type of stuff doesn’t have much “flair” to it. We try to make you feel like there’s a fire inside your chest. We try to make things a little spicy musically sometimes. We try to just write really good songs to be honest. That’s the number one goal. It’s all about the vibe and the body of work you create.

Hope: We’ve tried to create a brand and not just a band. The brand development and creation is what makes all bands unique, so that’s been super crucial for us this new album cycle.

Do you have any particular lyrical themes?

Greg: For sure. Oppression, casting out inner demons, just plain getting over crazy shit that has happened to us. We call our fans “The Allegiance” and the safe space we create with our music is “The Oasis”.

Hope: This new record in particular primarily focuses on different situations in a dystopian society. Which is definitely a super out there and kind of odd concept. But it was a hell of an experience having a brand new challenge lyrically.

What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?

Greg: A good amount, seeing as we only started playing shows around a year ago. But it could be more. We try to pump lots of energy into our live performance.

Hope: Yeah, we’re super energetic on stage. We always have two live members with us that rotate, but Greg and I have a really natural performance chemistry that we just try and inject into all of our shows.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?

Hope: Easily the shirtless male circle pit at our last hometown show. My mind was completely blown, and the best part is that there are pictures to prove it. We can always look back and be like, “REMEMBER THE SHIRTLESS CIRCLE PIT AT AMH?!”

Greg: Hahahahaha. One time I crowd surfed seeing Motion City Soundtrack. That was my first and probably only time, it was weird.

What are your plans for the rest of 2017?

Hope: No more new music, I don’t think. I personally need a break from recording, we were recording for six months. A lot of touring to promote the record!

Greg: Yeah! we wanna tour. Tour, tour, tour.

If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!

Greg: I want to play with The Fall of Troy so badly. They’d probably headline. For shits and giggles, let’s have someone huge open up for us. Let’s have it be Usher. Yeah, Usher. Usher, VISTA, and The Fall of Troy.

Hope: Linkin Park. What I would do to tour with Linkin Park, oh my god. I’d also really love to tour with Marina City. I’ve known them for a while now and I’ve always genuinely admired their hustle and individuality.

Greg: Shitty things happening to me always helps me. I don’t need any other inspiration than weird and strange feelings I’ve had due to my personal life.

Hope: Ditto.

From another BotD, Pale People: What’s the longest you’ve gone without speaking to another band member on a road trip?

Greg: Few hours probably, haha.

Hope: I can go the whole time not talking at all, I get super car sick so I have a routine I usually follow any time I’m in a car. Usually means taking a Dramamine, putting in headphones to forget I’m in a car, pass out, eat, pass out, then have a ton of enerrrrgyyyy.

And from Calling For Eden: What has been your most successful method of marketing and fan reach? What is the #1 thing for an emerging band to do to reach potential fans outside of their known circles?

Greg: Be super social. That’s my advice so far. Don’t be social just to get yourself ahead. Actually be supportive, talk to people, tell them what you think, give them constructive criticism. Buy their record. Be nice and help people and they will help you.